Do you utilize law enforcement on your medical calls?

Tnaemt94

Tnaemt94

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We were called out for an unconscious pt in respiratory depression and OD. The scene was actually at our station. The neighborhood security enforcement (fully sworn and acting law enforcement) and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (wildlife cops) were already on scene. Responding with us was the county sheriffs department. We had a total of 6 responders on scene.

I hopped in the back with my medic partner and another EMT. The neighborhood security enforcement officer hopped in the back with us and assisted with pt care. The sheriff's deputy hopped in the front to drive emergency traffic to the hospital.

Does your agency use law enforcement to assist with pt care or other purposes for medical calls?
 
No. They don't drive our ambulances or assist with patient care while transporting. The only time we have LEO riders are for patients who are in police custody and are still in handcuffs or if a LEO is our patient. In either of those cases they just sit at the end of the bench seat furthest away from the patient. They may grab equipment or help hold down a patient but that's it.

A decent number of our highway patrol are EMTs so they will start some basic treatments until we get there. If it's an MCI then they will assist until more resources arrive and then they step back into their investigation role.

On my last GSW they (LEO) were both in the living room and said "hey, he is in the bedroom and still talking".
 
Local LE responds to MVAs, GSWs/stabbings, ODs, assaults, and dispatched cardiac arrests or DOAs. Their role on scene really depends on their experience. They'll always assist with CPR and basic extrication if no one else is there, and I've had a few that have previous BLS experience and are very comfortable grabbing the stretcher or using a BVM as I'm setting up for intubation or Narcan. All in all, I find they're much more useful and willing to help than some of the vollies who have never seen a cardiac arrest before.
 
My mixed career/volunteer service is part of PD, and PD responds to all calls. Many officers are EMTs, and all are EMRs. They typically don't do more than CPR and hemorrhage control, but that's usually more than enough to bridge the 1-2min that it takes an ALS ambulance to arrive. They do (occasionally) drive when two EMTs are needed for patient care, which is extremely helpful.
 
Our deputies do great CPR (better than the fire guys often). They also get there first usually and have AEDs and tourniquets, which have been used successfully. They in theory can drive the ambulance but I'd prefer they not.

Also today they followed me through town on an emergent return and pulled over someone for failure to yield, so that was nice.
 
Really just depends on the call. They almost always will offer a hand and do whatever they are asked.

No driving though.
 
chaz90 said:
Local LE responds to MVAs, GSWs/stabbings, ODs, assaults, and dispatched cardiac arrests or DOAs. Their role on scene really depends on their experience. They'll always assist with CPR and basic extrication if no one else is there, and I've had a few that have previous BLS experience and are very comfortable grabbing the stretcher or using a BVM as I'm setting up for intubation or Narcan. All in all, I find they're much more useful and willing to help than some of the vollies who have never seen a cardiac arrest before.
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Who would wildlife officers be on a medical call? That confused me.
 
We run with forest service LE, state park rangers, and wildlife cops fairly often. They are out and about and often happen upon things.
 
We have LE on all the high priority calls. They do great CPR.
 
Working events, there are almost always law enforcement officers on scene.

With a few rare exceptions, they are fantastic. They love having a place to come to rehydrate and get some snacks, and we love having them for security and crowd control.

If it is a drugs/EtOH crowd, they will often arrive on scene and change the tone of the conversation by playing the "bad cop" so I can be the "good EMT."

If we need backup, depending on availability, they will meet the fire department at the street and create a path into wherever we are.

At large events they use us for manpower when dealing with missing children and/or missing parents.

And once in a blue moon a police officer becomes a patient :O.
 
Inspir said:
We utilize and have a closer working relationship with the police instead fire.
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Same, though our career division began as a division of the police department.

We get LE on every call, if things are super squirrel we occasionally get the LEO to drive the rig while we treat. They are good for CPR and for hemorrhage control, maybe giving a little O2 on our severe asthmas. We have a few who are EMTs and are active volunteers in other towns. We have two who are volunteer fire chiefs in an adjacent towns and thus we have a better relationship with those FDs then our own FD.
 
We get Police on every call here in our primary response area: outside that we do also, but it may be an hour for them to arrive, so kind of a mute point. Stand by for a stabbing can be fun when you have a 20 minute response time, and then wait 2 miles away for the PD to show up and they are another 15 minutes away
 
exodus said:
Probably BLS.
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Nah, he mentioned that his partner is a medic.
Inspir, I've heard of the "stare of life", but not the "circle of life". I suppose it would be even more effective due to the extra manpower...
 
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